Sakarakas

Finland’s number one car dealership Saka was launching a branch in Rovaniemi, their first in Lapland. They needed a fitting start to their Northern journey and turned to us for our keen eye.

Time was of the essence, as the project started right before Christmas and the campaign rolled out in January. We needed a novel approach, a light-hearted take on modern car ownership and a concept that could hold attention on phones as well as billboards.

After the initial briefing, our brand team put their strategic expertise to work and decided to pair cars with something unexpected – romance. However, we gave agency to the cars and played on current themes such as dating apps, EVs, and gentle stereotypes about Lapland.

We needed something with broad appeal and recognizability. Dating apps are part of modern life now, and many of us have struggled with writing a bio that’ll land us the date of our dreams.

Therefore, we created a concept where used cars were coming to Lapland to find their perfect match: Sakarakas. A play on words and an endearing approach to something few people find very romantic, it unlocked fresh ideas and promised wide appeal.

Once the concept was approved, our film team went to work creating a launch film to be aired on national television and across social media channels.

A social media campaign was the perfect fit for a device-based concept, but billboards were also used to announce Saka’s arrival. The visuals echoed themes from dating apps and stayed true to Saka’s strong branding.

The copy was playful but family-friendly – our cars were looking for partners, not hook-ups. We gently poked fun at stereotypes about EVs in Lapland, our tough driving conditions, and how Northern drivers are superior to Southerners.

The launch film benefitted from having our home town in its best winter whites. Our production team performed a real tour de force, proving once again that we can turn in top-notch results in tough conditions and quick order. Epic shots of the iconic Jätkänkynttilä Bridge announced Saka’s arrival to the Arctic.

The marketing team at Saka was thrilled with our distinctive approach! The ads created a positive buzz and helped Saka’s Rovaniemi office hit the ground running, creating perfect matches in Lapland for years to come.

TEAM

Client: Saara Rimpiläinen / SAKA
Concept Design: Venla Valmu, Olli Oilinki, Tarja Väyrynen & Miikka Niemi
Project Manager: Tarja Väyrynen
Graphic Designer: Venla Valmu
Copywriting: Olli Oilinki
Film producer: Anni Hurme
Director: Toni Kauppila
DoP: Ilmari Mannermaa
1st AC: Niko Juntunen
Editor: Henry Kestilä
Voiceover: Jaana Isokangas
Sound recordist & design: Heikki Illikainen
Colorist: Jussi Rovanperä

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